For example, a fuse unit which is directly attached to a battery loaded on a vehicle has a shape which is bent almost at a right angle in consideration of a setting space or the like. One conventional example of this kind of fuse unit is explained based on FIGS. 10 to 14.
As shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, a battery post 51 is protruded from the upper surface of a battery 50 which is loaded in a vehicle. A fuse unit 60 is fixed to the battery post 51 via a battery connecting terminal 52.
The fuse unit 60 is provided with a fuse element 61 and an insulative resin part 70 which is provided outside the fuse element 61 with insertion molding. The fuse element 61 is formed of a busbar which is a conductive metal plate. The fuse element 61 has a power supply connecting part 62 which is fixed to the battery post 51 via the battery connecting terminal 52, first terminal connecting parts 63 and second terminal connecting parts 64 which are connected to terminals not shown in the figures, first terminal fusible parts 65 which respectively intervene between the power supply connecting part 62 and the first terminal connecting parts 63, and second terminal fusible parts 66 which respectively intervene between the electric supply connecting part 62 and the second terminal connecting parts 64.
The power supply connecting part 62 receives power from the battery 50 via the battery connecting terminal 52. The first and second terminal connecting parts 63 and 64 have bolts 67 which are fixed with the insulative resin part 70, and the terminals (not shown in the figures) are fixed using the bolts 67.
The fuse element 61 is bent between the first terminal connecting parts 63 and the second terminal fusible parts 66. Thereby, the power supply connecting part 62, the first terminal connecting parts 63 and the first terminal fusible parts 65 are arranged in the overhang direction (arrow X direction) along the upper surface 50a of the battery 50, and the second terminal fusible parts 66 and the second terminal connecting parts 64 are arranged in the direction of the side surface of the battery (arrow Y direction) along the side surface 50b of the battery 50.
The insulative resin part 70 generally covers those parts other than the electric supply connecting part 62, the first and second terminal connecting parts 63 and 64, the first and second terminal fusible parts 65 and 66. Fusible part windows 70a are respectively formed in the insulative resin part 70 so that the first terminal fusible parts 65 and the second terminal fusible parts 66 are enclosed. Each of the fusible part windows 70a is closed by a transparent fusible part cover 71. In the insulative resin part 70, electric wire holding parts 70b are formed at the bottom of the second terminal connecting parts 64, respectively.
Next, a method of manufacturing the fuse unit 60 of the above-mentioned structure is explained briefly.
First, as shown in FIG. 13, the fuse element 61 which has a flat shape formed by punching a conductive metal plate material, and which has a bent part 61a, which is bent afterwards, is manufactured. Next, as shown in FIG. 14, the insulative resin part 70 is formed with insertion molding by using the flat-shaped fuse element 61 as an insertion component. Next, the bolts 67 are press fitted into the parts of the insulative resin part 70 at the first and the second terminal connecting parts 63 and 64. Next, the fuse element 61 is bent at a nearly right angle at the bent part 61a. Thus, the manufacture of the fuse unit 60 shown in FIG. 12 is completed.
According to the above-mentioned conventional example, since the fuse unit 60 is directly attached to the battery 50 and the fuse unit 60 can be arranged along the upper surface 50a and the side surface 50b of the battery 50, the fuse unit 60 can be installed around the battery.
A fuse unit which is almost the same as the above-mentioned conventional example is disclosed in a PTL 1.